What Materials Can I Sandcarve?

Sandcarving is a process which allows you to etch or carve into a wide variety of materials. It may not always be obvious which materials will work for sandcarving, but the general rule of thumb is that if you can scratch it, you can blast it. The most common materials that people sandcarve are glass and stone. However, there are a wide variety of substrates that you can both etch and carve.

Etch vs. Carve

So what is the difference between etching something and carving it? Etching refers to leaving a surface mark on the material, while carving refers to getting depth. For example, materials such as acrylic, leather, fiberglass and fabric can all be etched using a sandcarving machine, but you can't etch very deep. You can only etch the surface of the material. However, with glass, ceramic, stone, wood and porcelain you can sandcarve much deeper into the material, creating some very unique and beautiful effects.

The ability to deep etch and stage carve certain materials gives sandcarving an advantage over other decorative techniques (such as laser engraving). We have put together this Sandblastable Material Compatibility chart to guide you on what materials will etch vs. what materials you can carve deeper.

Download The Sandblastable Material Compatibility Chart

Questions About Materials To Sandcarve

If you have any additional questions about what materials you can sandcarve or sandblast, please contact our support team today.